Chapter 5
We arrive at the Fields right after sunset. You would think it would be too dark to race motorbikes, but several years ago, pole lights were put in to light up the dirt track. The clustered lights on each pole illuminate the track so brightly it’s almost like they’re racing in the daytime.
Ryder is supposed to be in the first race of the night.
I don’t know how they set up the schedule, but things here tend to run like a smooth circuit race even though it’s a bunch of kids racing their bikes and cars for their own personal enjoyment and not taking it too seriously.
I, however, get nervous jitters whenever I watch Ryder race.
Watching him makes me both want to puke with anxiety and cheer my guts out with pride.
As we near the Fields, I look behind us to see Mitch's truck.
Jayson and Julien are riding with their dad, and I'll be going home with them after the races.
Currently, I'm riding with Ryder in his dad’s Dodge Ram crew cab long bed that's carrying Ryder’s bike, an old KTM he and his dad modified.
Maria said she would get her older brother, Samuel, to bring her out.
She texted a few minutes ago and said they were on their way.
The Fields is a place for the kids in town to let loose and have fun.
Racing bikes and cars can be dangerous, so it’s surprising how many parents support it and join in.
I guess they figure kids our age will find trouble wherever, so at least this is one place they don’t have to worry too much, since many of the parents attend along with some of the local law enforcement from our county.
We arrive, and Randy backs the truck up to unload the bike.
Ryder and I get out, and he immediately hops in the bed to unhook the straps and chains around his bike’s tires.
I lean against the side of the truck and people-watch.
Kids from our school and Highland are here, along with two county deputies, one being Elijah’s dad
Speaking of Elijah, I spot him across the ditch, walking his bike onto the track. He looks over at me as he passes by.
“Hey, Elizabeth!” He waves at me. I wave back. Ryder turns his head in Elijah’s direction and is about to say something when his dad jumps into the truck bed to help with the bike
“Son, give me a hand with this.”
Ryder and his dad are busy trying to get the bike out, so I head off toward Elijah. “Be back in a sec.”
I’ve gotten to know Elijah better over the past year after he started coming to the Fields. He’s a really nice guy. Funny too. I think the guys are wrong about Elijah. He hasn't shown any blatant interest in me other than friendly conversation. And you never can have too many friends.
“Hi, Elijah! How are you? How’s your summer going?”
I’m glad I'm wearing tennis shoes tonight because I think I just stepped in cow dung. I wonder if Mr. Jacoby’s cows got out again.
Several months ago, the cows from an adjoining field got loose and decided it would be a good idea to saunter across the track during one of the car races. It made for a memorable night.
“Crap!” Literally. I grimace and hop on one foot, acting like I've stepped in lava instead of cow dung.
He kicks his bike stand down and makes his way over to me.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Yuck.”
I kick my leg back to take a closer look at the bottom of my shoe, and in doing so, lose my balance and begin to topple over.
Elijah reaches me just in time and grabs my forearms, pulling me against him before I hit the ground.
We both burst out laughing, me looking up at him, him looking down at me.
That’s when the hairs on the back of my neck go up when I sense someone behind me.
Suddenly, a strong arm reaches around my middle and pulls me backward.
“Back off.” Jayson.
Elijah throws his hands up and takes a step back. Jayson pulls me tighter against him.
Without taking his angry gaze off Elijah, Jayson drops his head, pressing his mouth close to my ear. “You good?”
I’m going to die. Just drop dead right here where I stand and die. Jayson’s breath next to my ear is sending me into spontaneous combustion. Get a grip Elizabeth!
“I stepped in something and lost my balance. Elijah caught me before I could really embarrass myself.”
Julien and Ryder’s arrival helps dispel some of the tension. As they talk to Elijah, Jayson splays his hand across my stomach, rubbing small circles with his thumb. My stomach muscles clench at the sensation.
“Jayson.” When I turn my head, our mouths almost touch.
The electricity that sparks between us snaps Jayson out of his stony stare with Elijah. His hand jerks away from my stomach as if it’s been electrocuted.
Ryder puts a hand on Jayson’s shoulder and squeezes. “Come on. Help me get the bike down.”
Jayson slowly releases his hold on me and steps away. I’m left alone standing there like a deer in headlights, rapid, shallow breaths, in and out, in and out. My skin tingles in all the places Jayson touched me. Thank goodness for Maria.
“Yo, chica! Your girl squeeze has arrived!”
I rub my foot across the grass, hoping this will get whatever I stepped in off the bottom of my shoe. Maria reaches me and puts her arm through mine as we walk to the side of the track to watch Ryder race.
“Holy male meat sticks, girl! There are so many cute guys here tonight. No wonder you like to come out here so often.”
This girl is a jumble of crazy.
Julien and Jayson eventually find us. It doesn't escape my notice that Jayson stands several feet away from me.
Randy hands Ryder his racing helmet and murmurs low to him, more than likely giving him pointers on how to handle the track tonight.
We watch as Ryder, Elijah, and several others line their bikes up at the start line.
The summer thunderstorms earlier this week left the track a bit muddy and slippery.
Randy and Mitch make their way over to our group.
Fallon, a guy from Highland High who is a year older and in eleventh grade, is the announcer for tonight.
One of the deputies has given him a police megaphone to use.
Fallon Montgomery is one of those guys that everyone in a five-county radius has heard of.
His family is loaded. Montgomery Pharma is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the nation and their headquarters is located in Research Triangle Park; not to mention, about half our county is employed in one way or another by his family’s company.
“Good evening, everybody!” Fallon yells through the megaphone. “Who’s ready to see some racing tonight?”
We all shout back at him.
“I can’t hear you!”
We all scream louder, whistles raising the noise levels to a crescendo.
“Okay then! Gentlemen, start your engines.” Fallon gives a signal, and the racers mount their bikes, twisting their handlebars and sending engine revs crashing into the night. “You guys know the rules.” Fallon stands back to the side to get out of the way of the racers. “On your mark,” he starts.
I look at Ryder. My palms begin to sweat, and I tighten my grip on Maria’s arm.
I can’t see Ryder’s face because of his helmet, but I know he’s in the zone.
You can just tell by the energy emanating off his body, and by the way his body hovers over his bike, one leg outstretched, propping it up, his hands gripping the handlebars.
Fallon shouts out, “Get set.”
Ryder tenses. I tense. Everything seems to go suddenly silent as my eyes glue on to Ryder’s form
“Go!”
And with that, the bikes scream away from the start line.
A loud whoosh of exhaled breath I didn’t know I was holding comes rushing out of my lungs.
I hear Ryder’s dad calling out to him, giving encouragement.
The chaos on the track is nuts. Two riders slide out in the mud around the first corner.
One rider rams into the back of another by accident as his bike hits a rut and his front tire clips the bike next to him.
Ryder and Elijah are in the lead. They will race around the dirt track four times.
By the second lap, the racers seem to have gotten into the groove and used to the conditions on the course.
Two laps down, two to go. Maria and I are holding each other’s hands, jumping up and down, cheering Ryder on.
On the last lap, Ryder pulls out ahead from the pack.
He leans into the last curve, leg stretching out to the ground to help turn the bike as it skids along, and then he’s off again like a bullet.
He takes a quick look behind him to see how far away the person in second is, then slows down when he passes by our group.
He points his finger in our direction, touches his heart, then to everyone’s astonishment, speeds up to go over the last small bump.
He jerks the front of his bike up hard, revs the handlebar, and does a backflip before landing his bike on both wheels and crossing the finish line.
Elijah follows thirty seconds after in second with the remaining riders close behind.
Maria is screaming in my ear, “Oh my God! That was epic!”
Once all the other racers cross the finish, Fallon comes back out with his megaphone, Ryder in tow. He throws Ryder’s arm up in the air in victory.
“You are a freakin’ rock star!” he shouts to Ryder.
The other racers, including Elijah, as well as Jayson and Julien, head out onto the track to tackle Ryder in celebration. Me? I am speechless. That boy. That wonderful, crazy boy.
After things settle down and the track is cleared for the next race, the boys help Randy take Ryder’s bike back to the truck and load it up.
Ryder, a smile beaming on his face, walks off the track and stops in front of me and Maria.
His eyes lock on mine. Ryder runs his hand through his sweat-soaked hair, grinning a devil’s smile at me. He has never looked more handsome.
Maria’s eyes ping back and forth between me and Ryder before she clears her throat and says she’s going to find her brother.
“You are one ballsy guy,” I tell him, shaking my head, a huge smile exploding across my face.
“You liked it?”
“Loved it,” I breathe.
Ryder reaches for my hand and links our pinkies together. “Elizabeth.” His tone grows serious. “There’s something I would like to talk to you about.”
“Oh, is it important? Do you want to talk now or after we get home tonight?”
He thinks about my question for a minute. “Jay, Jules, and I have got something to do tonight. Otherwise, I would say yes. Tomorrow at one?” His pinky finger squeezes mine and then he lets go.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be home.”
He brushes his hand against mine and walks away to join his dad and the boys. Maria, who has been waiting in the shadows watching it all instead of actually finding her brother, comes skipping back over to me.
“So intense. I think my ovaries exploded watching you two. What was that about?
Between Elijah pulling me against him, Jayson with his intimate hold on me, and now Ryder, I have no clue what any of this is about. I sense something is changing and I don't know if I'm prepared for it or not. I should talk to Hailey about it later. She’ll help me figure things out.
I rest my head on Maria’s shoulder and close my eyes. “I don’t know, Mar. I just don’t know.”